June 13, 2017 at
3:05 PM

With their fifth-round pick (161st overall) in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Red Sox selected Alex Scherff, a right-handed pitcher from Colleyville Heritage High School in Texas. The 19-year-old was ranked 47th by Perfect Game, 52nd by MLB.com, and 59th by Baseball America.

Scherff has one of the top arms in the 2017 draft class, stemming from his terrific fastball-changeup combination. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound pitcher has been clocked around 95 mph with his heater, touching 98 mph, and he has confidence in a deceptive changeup. He is also working on both a slider and curveball. MLB.com notes that Scherff lost 40 pounds, helping lead to improved conditioning that allowed him to retain his velocity deep into his outings.
19 years old as of February, Scherff is on the older side for a high school arm. Committed to Texas A&M, he is next eligible for the draft as a sophomore in 2019 due to his age, but the Red Sox's willingness to draft him in the fifth round hints that they are confident in their ability to sign him. If he signs, look for it to be an over-slot deal, as he is a clear early-round talent.Scouting info was compiled from industry publications including Baseball America, Perfect Game USA, and MLB.com.